As wireless networks evolve and grow, there are ongoing challenges associated with reaching targeted coverage levels. Recently, in an effort to boost coverage and enhance throughput in wireless networks, network operators have proposed deployment of wireless devices capable of transmitting at a maximum allowable transmit power that is higher than a current maximum allowable transmit power of defaults wireless devices and/or other currently deployed low power wireless devices. When portion(s) of the wireless network experience high load (e.g., loading above a threshold), which may stem from large amounts of data traffic and/or poor channel conditions, access node(s) may collect power headroom and other data from the wireless devices; access nodes use the collected data to schedule (or assign) uplink (UL) and/or downlink (DL) wireless resources (i.e., wireless resource grant) for connected wireless devices. However, these wireless devices capable of transmitting at a higher maximum power may not require the additional resources that would be assigned using a conventional scheduler. For example, depending on quality of service requirements for the wireless device, it may be suitable to assigned resources to the high power wireless device as though it were a default wireless device. Accordingly, a channel-aware system that schedules UL wireless resources, while balancing network load, such that high power wireless devices are selectively assigned wireless resources based on quality of service requirements is desirable.
Overview
Systems and methods are described for assigning wireless resources to a high power wireless device. An exemplary method for assigning uplink resources for high power wireless devices includes determining, by an access node, that a quality of service metric used for communication between a wireless device and the access node is not associated with a first service, wherein the quality of service metric comprises a quality of service class indicator (QCI), determining, by the access node, that the wireless device is configured to transmit an uplink signal at a first power level that is higher than a default power level, responsive to determining that the quality of service metric is not associated with the first service and that the wireless device is configured to transmit at the first power level, reducing, by the access node, a power headroom (PHR) reported by the wireless device to the access node, wherein reducing the PHR causes a default modulation and coding scheme (MCS) to be assigned to the wireless device, wherein the default MCS is associated with the default power level, and the default MCS is lower than a first MCS associated with the first power level, and receiving, at the access node, uplink communication from the wireless device using the assigned default MCS.
In another exemplary embodiment, a system for assigning uplink resources for high power wireless devices includes an access node configured to determine that a quality of service metric used for communication between a wireless device and the access node is not associated with a first service, wherein the quality of service metric comprises a quality of service class indicator (QCI), determine that the wireless device is configured to transmit an uplink signal at a first power level that is higher than a default power level, responsive to determining that the quality of service metric is not associated with the first service and that the wireless device is configured to transmit at the first power level, reduce a power headroom (PHR) reported by the wireless device to the access node, wherein reducing the PHR causes a default modulation and coding scheme (MCS) to be assigned to the wireless device, wherein the default MCS is associated with the default power level, and the default MCS is lower than a first MCS associated with the first power level, and receive uplink communication from the wireless device using the assigned default MCS.